Masquerade Ball - Halloween Night
by Shantty
Summary: Halloween, 1997. / Richard finally convinces Chris to go to a Masquerade Ball on Halloween. And Chris could never imagine that such a misterious and unique experience awaited him. / A simple but affectionate tribute to all my Valenfield friends and to the readers in general. - ONESHOT


**_Hello!_**

**_Here comes my humble tribute for all the Valenfield fans (like me) for this Halloween Day._**

**_Hope you guys enjoy it. At the beginning I consider real places from RPD so I hope you guys recognize the Licker room in Resident Evil 2 :D_**

**_Have a wonderful day, people and for the ones who are going to party today, DONT drink and drive, please!_**

**_Cya! kiisssssssssssssssssssssssssssssss_**

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**Masquerade Ball**

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Standing beside the interrogation room door, Chris stretched his arms and neck. He was angry, tense, but did not want to go back to his room yet. He didn't want Jill to see him like that.

He looked through the opening in the door and saw Brad interrogating one of the men they arrested. That interrogation would normally be made by the policemen in that floor, but Brad would never miss the chance to prove to Wesker that he was brave.

But Chris wondered where was his courage in that? What is the risk in questioning and being in a room with an unarmed man watched by armed policemen in another room inside the Raccoon Police Department?

It was not exactly what would get Chris irritated, but any cowardly attitudes in crucial moments, especially if it would jeopardize someone's life.

Alpha team was sent to solve a bank robbery with hostages and the concern started when Chris remembered that Barry was hospitalized due to kidney inflammation. Knowing he could count on Jill gave him a certain relief, but he was worried that both would count with the help of Brad, who was not very highly regarded. He'd rather Joseph or Richard to be with them.

Joseph besides being a veteran of the Gulf War, he also had experience in the Navy. Richard, meanwhile, although inexperienced and young, he was very calm under pressure but bold if necessary, which would greatly help Chris. Both Joseph and Richard possessed qualities that Brad didn't. But Brad would not be a problem if Barry were here.

And if Chris believed in premonition he could say he predicted the problem upcoming with Brad. Even with police reinforcements on the street in front of the bank, Brad hesitated at the main moment of fear and not obeyed Chris' command, putting the life of a hostage at risk.

Thanks to Jill's accuracy and agility, who was behind Brad and fired at the assailant's hand without hesitation, the hostage was alive.

Although everything had ended well, to see Brad offer to interrogate the accused man with a heroic posture made Chris upset and angry.

Chris rubbed his face before sighing. He walked down the brown hallway until he reached a door that would lead to another hallway. He followed it thoughtfully.

Down the hall, Chris looked to his right for a vending machine and thought that maybe something cold could help him calm down.

Chris inserted a coin into the machine and chose the lemon-lime soda.

"There you are."

Chris looked surprised to his side and saw Richard coming and sitting on the wooden bench on the other side.

"Were you looking for me?" Chris asked.

"No, I just came to make a call. But since we met I will do what I was asked to."

"What did they ask you to?" Chris opened the can of soda and sat next to Richard in the bench.

"To Convince you ..."

"Jill ... Oh no! I do not like Halloween, I do not like parties and I hate masks."

"I do not think you will miss this chance, Chris. Do you have any idea of what happens in this balls?"

"What chance, Richard? Do not start. She is only my friend."

"Just because you didn't try ..."

" There's nothing to try, Richard. We cannot compromise..."

"Ah! Bullshit. You were made for each other."

Chris took a big sip of soda and said nothing. He wanted to believe what Richard was saying, but deep down inside of him he was afraid to believe and fail. Chris had to assume that when it came to Jill, he felt more cowardly than Brad.

"Chris, how many times has she said she expects to meet you there today? She gave you the invitation and the mask. What else do you want?"

"I do not know, Richard."

"Wear the mask and go, Chris. Let her find you."

Chris took another sip of the soda and nodded to Richard. Maybe he was right. For some reason Jill wanted him to go, and Chris would lose nothing to try. At that moment he couldn't act as Brad.

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Looking at the crowded room, Chris knew that it would not be easy to find and recognize Jill. He had never seen her before in a long dress as the women were wearing the time or even with mask.

"You are elegant, pal" Richard patted Chris' back "Looking at you so tense, it does not seem that I'm younger than you."

"Anyone has more experience with parties than me, Richard." Chris smiled turning the black mask on his face. " How will you recognize your girlfriend?"

"I know she is wearing a blue mask and a black dress, this will help me."

Chris shook his head as he looked around him. The place was beautifully decorated with golden candlesticks and red curtains, all in medieval style.

Chris wished for a moment that it was a simple Halloween party with the known Trick or Treat and funny costumes, where everything was simpler. But at the same time he had never been to a fancy party like that before and the idea of recognizing Jill amid all those women seemed extremely interesting to him.

"Ladies and Gentlemen" A man wearing a mask that covered his entire face spoke into the microphone on stage "We will lower the light to the most awaited moment. The ladies will look for their partners for the first dance. Let the dance begin."

The lights went down and Chris realized that it would be difficult to see clearly when all they had was the candlelight.

Many women passed and looked at him curiously. Chris realized that his heart was beating wildly. At that moment he felt vulnerable and that feeling was not pleasant for an officer like him who always used to keep track of all situations.

Suddenly he saw a woman with short dark hair. His heart racing even more, Chris hoped she approached him and he held out his hand, waiting for her to accept. But when the girl approached, Chris did not recognize the beautiful blue eyes behind the mask and he realized she was not who he was looking for. Lucky him, she did not accept the hand he ran past him too.

For nearly twenty minutes he stood still in the dance floor near the candles, but then Chris gave up. He always knew that this was not his thing, he didn't want to be there and he shouldn't have heard to Richard. He walked a few steps towards the curtains, so that he could give more space for the couples who took the ballroom.

Chris then felt a small, soft hand taking his hand and when he turned back, all he could see was a golden mask and a dark blue dress. The woman, who also had short hair, pulled Chris closer and kissed him immediately.

Chris thought of resisting the kiss so he could look her in the eyes, but he did not need. Tha was her. The touch of her hand was unmatched. Mixed with the new perfume she was wearing, he recognized her scent, Jill's...

Suddenly all the boredom until that moment did not matter anymore. The passionate kiss he always wanted but never expected would make any boredom be worth.

Chris held her face gently as their lips began to drop for the first time, he opened his eyes searching Jill's blue eyes, but she gave a step back and moved away quickly.

Chris tried to hold her, but she went behind the curtains and when he was preparing to follow her, the lights went out completely and after some seconds the place was fully illuminated.

"All couples at the center of the dance floor. Let us now turn to the second part of the dance." The masked man said. "Are you guys having fun?"

As he listened to the crowd yelling "Yes" with enthusiasm, Chris looked around him searching for her, but there was nothing that represented a sign of her.

Chris was stunned. He could not admit to himself that he had been kissed by another woman. It's got to be her. It could only be her. But what if not? After all, why did she leave?

Chris waited on a bench for another half an hour, watching happy couples dancing. There was definitely nothing more to do in that place. He decided to go home.

When Chris was going down the stairs from the lobby he heard someone calling his name and he turned back. There she was.

Jill was wearing a beautiful purple dress and she was holding a purple mask on her left hand and carrying a black purse on the other, to Chris' misfortune . He smiled and tried to disguise the deep frustration he felt.

Beside her Richard and his girlfriend also walked towards him.

"Where were you Chris?" Jill asked smiling.

"Maybe nowhere" Chris replied without enthusiasm.

Jill wrapped Chris' arms with hers and together they walked to the exit.

"Ah c'mon. It's not just a party for couples, Chris. I invited you mainly for the food, isn't it wonderful?

At that moment Chris realized that he had eaten or drunk nothing.

"Yes, very good." He lied

While Jill and Richard spoke excited about the dessert table, Chris felt lost in his own thoughts.

Was he so connected to Jill that he was able to feel her touch and her smell in another woman? He could swear it was not possible, but it happened.

And Chris followed in silence to the car, before she got in her car Jill gave him the usual hug.

'That smell. I know I it was that smell! I'm going crazy. ' he thought.

Trying to spoil those thoughts, he got in his car and went home with the radio out loud.

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On Sunday, as it was usual, Jill invited Chris to have dinner with her. She had ordered Japanese food for both.

When Chris arrived at Jill's apartment, she was by the doorway talking to her neighbor.

"Chris, do you know Julia?"

"Nice to meet you, Chris."

"My pleasure, Julia." he tried to sound kind when they shook hands.

They both smiled politely.

Jill grabbed a paper bag and handed it to Julia.

"Thanks for the shoes and the mask, Julia. But I opted to wear my lilac one. Although yours is very beautiful."

When Julia took the paper bag it got torn and the shoes and the mask fell onto the ground. Chris bent down quickly to get them to Julia and to his surprise, it a golden mask.

Although he had just seen it fast, he knew that was exactly the same as the mask from the other day. Chris looked at Jill instantly, but her posture had not changed. Jill didn't seem surprised, embarrassed or worried. She was looking down at her fingernails calmly.

Chris handed the mask and the shoes to Julia once he stood up. The girl thanked him and went out and Jill got in the house without any reaction, just quiet.

Although Jill had not had any changes in her behavior since the small incident, Chris knew in his heart that she was the woman of the ball. Analyzing the facts he noticed that Jill wore a purple dress that could look blue in the dark and that she changed her mask during the party.

While Jill was telling Chris about the Halloween parties she had gone in her childhood, he was thinking about the night before. He wanted to question her. He wanted to know the truth. But he was sweating, because any movement could always have a high cost for him, her company, her friendship, her partnership.

And what if Richard was right? What if they really had a chance? Did Jill try to say something to him through that attitude? Was she just playing with his mind? But what if even with all the evidences it was not her?

Chris decided not to say anything about it for. If there was any chance of being with her, he would not risk everything that moment. It'd better let things happen and check the facts from now on. He would never act before planning. That was the sensible and wise Chris Redfield.

With just few proofs he would go after any criminal anywhere. But with all the proofs in his hand, if it was something to do with Jill he would always believe it was just too good to be true.

"Do you agree Chris?"

"Huh? Excuse me?"

"I told you that when we are kids we love the tricks and treats on Halloween Night, but nothing compares to the tricks and surprises we can get when are adults... Do you agree?" - She smirked.

Now Chris was sure he was crazy. He then realized that much worse than facing unpredictable criminals it was facing unpredictable feelings for an unpredictable woman like Jill, but wonderful.

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_**Thanks for reading!**_

_**Please leave a review if you liked that.**_

_**Happy Halloween :)**_


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